Pressing machine



Jan. 12 ,1926; I v 1,569,418

. A. R. BRAUN PRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20,1924 S-Sheecs-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

giwwfg/m ATTORNEYS.

Jan. v12 1926. 1,569,418

'A. R. BRAUN PRESSING mcnmn File d Feb. 20, 1924 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Jan. 12 1926; 1,569,418

R. BRAUN PRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. .12, 1926,

3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AQUILA R. BRAUN, F SYRACUSE'NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LIBERTY NATIONAL BANK, TRUSTEE, OF SYRACUSE, 'NEW YORK.

rnnssmo MACHINE.

Application filed February 20, 1924. Serial No. 693,960.

To all whom it may cancer-11.:

Be it known that I, AQUILA R. BRAUN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Pressing. Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pressing machines, such as are used in pressing clothes, garments,'laundry and the like, and particularly clothes, and has for its object a particularly simple and 'eflicient means for drying the garment or removing the moisture from the garment or other article being pressed while the garment [is being pressed and as soon as the moisture or steam is generated by the heat from one or both of the pressing elements, and while it is heated, without bringing colder air in contact therewith,

which colder air condenses the moisture, so that it is absorbed by the garment and hence harder to remove, which means is particu larly simple and economical in construction, readily appliedvto the pressing r'nachineand highly etlicient' and rapidin operation. In other words, the invention consists in-means for removing the moisture-while in vapor form from the garment before it has been condensed by colder air, as when the moisture is removed by blowing or by drawing air by suction through the garment. both the blowing and withdrawing by suc- "tion or vacuum drying processes, the colder air condenses the vapor in the garment and to remove and requires a large volume of air over a comparatively long period of time, to evaporate and removeit. In blowing and vacuum processes, the moisture cannot be pressing operation without bringing the out-' side colder air in contact with the garment or the vapor while in the garment.

The invention. consists. in the novel feaspecti vely..v

' this condensed vapor or water is difficult,

efliciently removed during the pressing optures and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1, is a side elevation of one form of machine embodying my invention, the presshead being shown as closed.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation partly in section of the buck and press head and contiguous parts.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View similar to Figure 1, showing the position of the dr ing means when the press head is partly open.

Figure 4 is diagrammatic view similar to Fig. .2 showing the upper press head as partly open. I

Figure 5 is 'a transverse sectional View through'the upper press head.

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary face views of the press head and the buck, re-

Figure 8 is a fragmentary View showing the means for opening and retarding the opening movement of the press head.

This invention comprises the combination with cooperating pressing elements of a pressing machine having relative movement one toward and from the other, one of said elements usually the upper one having ventilating passages provided in and-extending through the upper and lower faces thereof. for permitting the natural. escape of the watervapor as soon as it is generated in the garment or other article being pressed and means for displacing the moisture laden air above the upper face of the upper element and replacing it with comparatively dry air having a greater aiiinity for moisture. It, also, preferably includes means for heat ing the air above the'upper face of the upper element, so that it has'a reater affinity for moisture, and for retarding the heated air on the upper face of the head a sulfieient time, so that it can most efiiciently absorb the moisture before being replaced by drier air.

The invention further consists in means for passing a current of air over the upper face of the lower element or the garment thereon immediately upon a partial opening of the press head in order to blow off any vapor rising from thegarment after the press is opened and means for momentarily retarding the full opening movement of the pressing head, in order that the lower face of the press head may serve as a guide to direct such current of air across the upper face of the buck or the garment thereon.

I have here illustrated my invention as embodied in a foot press or manually operated machine having a stationary lower buck and upper movable press head, although it may be embodied in a machine operated by power.

1, designates the lower buck which is mounted on a suitable bracket or goose neck 2, which, in turn, is mounted on a table 3 supported by a frame or legs 4. 5 designates the press head, which is carried bya yoke or frame lever 6 pivoted at 7 to an upright 8 rising from the rear leg of the frame 4. The yoke or frame lever ,6 is actuated in any suitable manner, here shown as by a toggle consisting of links 9 and 10 pivoted respectively at 11 to the rear arm of the yoke lever 6 and at 12 to the lower end of the frame 4, these links being pivoted together at 13. The link 10 1s shown as formed rigid with a forwardly extending pedal 14 having a foot plate 15 at its front end. The yoke is provided with a suitable counterweight 16, which tends to open the press head, and also a spring 17 is usually connected to the treadle lever 14 and pulls upwardly thereon. By depress ing the pedal 14, the toggle links 9 and 10 are moved from a folded to a straight position, thus bringing the press head 5 down on to the lower buck 1 into pressing position.

In the machine here shown, the head is held in pressing posit-ion by a latch 18, which, when the treadle 14 is depressed, ratchets into engagement with a hook 19 on the base of the machine this latch being pivoted at 20 to the lever 14 and being weighted at 21, the weight being so arranged that it tends to move the latch into engagement with the hook 19. To open the machine, the latch is tripped in any suitable manner here shown as by a pedal 22 pivoted at 23 to the frame and having one arm thereof arranged to push upwardly on the weighted end 21 of the latch 18. When this lever 22 is de pressed, obviously the latch will be moved out of engagement with the hook 19 and the counterweight l6 and spring 17 will be free to act to open the press. The lever 22 is known in shop arlance as a kick off lever.

The construction of the operating means for the press head forms no part of this invention and, in so far as this invention is concerned, it is immaterial howthe pr'ess head is operated. Also the buck 1 and pressthrough which steam may be projected through the face of the buck into the garment, the passage of steam through these perforations 25 being controlled by a valve located within the housing 26, Fig. 1, and operated by an endwisely movable rod 27, which, in turn, is actuated by a pedal 28, all of which will be understood by those skilled in the art.

The construction of the means for steaming the garment forms no part of this invention. lit-is material only in so far as means are provided for steaming the garment, although the garment maybe moistened in any other manner.

In pressing garments, the buck and head are usually provided with padding ,to prevent a shiny surface being formed on the garment. These pads are a source of trouble, as they accumulate moisture which retards the drying of the garment. In this pressing machine, the pads are eliminated and, in order to prevent a shine being formed on the garment being pressed, the faces of the buck 1 and press head 5 are covered by wire mesh screens designated 1 and 5 respectively, the margins of these screens being folded over the edge of the buck or the head and the screens being held in position by tension springs 28 hooked at their ends to the margins of the screens,

the springs passing transversely under the:

uck or over the head, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to permit the. moisture to passout of the garment being pressed, as soon as it is formed into a vapor by the heat of the pressing elements or as soon as it is projected on or through the. garment, the upper press head 5 is provided with perforations, ventilating holes or outlet passages 29, Fig. 5, extending through its upper and lower faces and as nearly as possible preferably throughout the entire area of the face of the press head.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the upper press head is heated by .a channel extending around the press head through which steam is passed and the holes 29 are formed in the portion inclosed by this channel and also on the margin of the press head outside of the channel 30, as shown in Fig. 5, but there are no passages directly beneath the channels 30 principally because it is an expensive oper ation providing or coring out passages extending through the channels. However, in some types of presses,-known as edge presses, it is preferable to have passages 29 located garment.

outside the channels and at the edges of the press head. Owing t these passages 29, the moisture which is placed in thecloth by the steaming operation and which is generated or vaporized in the moistened cloth by the heat of the buck 1 and the head 5 passes im- I mediately out through the assages' 29 as soon as it is formed, during t e pressing operation and no cold outside air comes in contact therewith' while this moisture isin the garment or where it can' condense in .the

The means for removing the moisture laden air from .the upper side of the press head Band from the upper ends of the openings 29 comprises means for passing acurrent of air across'the upper side of the press head 5, this means being shown as a fan or blower 31 preferably movable up and down with the press head 5 and arranged to blow horizontally across the upper side of the buck 5. t I

The means for heating the air, so that it will have a greater aflinity for moisture and the fan 31 and an outlet 33, thi's outlet being I contracted or the housing be shaped so that the air is retarded or held. back in its movement through the housing, and being held back is heated by the heat from the steam in the channels 30, and being heated has a greater affinity for moisture. The inlet and outlet are usually located at opposite ends of the head.

The blower 31 is here'illustrated as a fan actuated by an electric motor 34 carried at, theentrance end 35 of'the housing, the'en trance being provided with means for projecting air across the face of the upper buck 1 or the garment thereon when the head is part way open or during the opening movement of the head.

As here shown, the entrance is formed with an outlet 36, which is normally closed or partly closed or obstructed by the margin of the lower buck or the garment thereon when the press is closed, as the opening 36'is opposed and close to the end of the buck 35 when the press is closed. This outlet 36 also ermits the escape of air in case the retarding effect becomes too great and would otherwise cause theair to back up on the fan or press downwardly in the openings 29. The

air, in order to work most effectively, must be passed through the casing only fast enough tobe heated and remove the moisture by an absorption actionan'd must not be passed through the passage so fast as to hold or cut off the moisture in the holes 29, and not too slow as'to cause the air to backup into the holes 29. The outlet 36 acts both to prevent the air passing too fast and too slow through the housing? If the air passes too fast through the housing, the moisture will dam up in the passages 29, as it"is only the pressure of the moisture that forces it out of the passages 29 and there is noatmospheric pressure back of the passages 29 to force it out when the press head is closed or, in other words, it is not possible to create a suction through the passages 29 for the reason that there is no air pressure to force upwardly through the passage 29 and, if air passes too. fast through the housing 32, a back pressure will be created in the holes 29.

As before mentioned, the press head is opened by operating the kick off pedal '22,-

which disengages the latch 19 from the hook 18 and ermits the counterweight 16 and spring 1? to act. The means for delaying the opening movement of the press when the press head is slightly raised, in order that the press head may guide the current of air from the passage 36v across the face of the buck or across the garment thereon when the ress head is slightly raised, as shown in ig. 4," may be of any suitable form, size and construction, and,as here shown, comprises an escapement device operated by the kick off lever 22, this escapement device comprising a detent 37 carried b 1 the kick-off lever 22 and normally out of the path of the shoulder 38 on the pedal lever 14. When the kick off lever is. operated, the detent 37 -moves into the path of the shoulder 38- and hence retards the opening or upward movement of the treadle 14 as long as the operator holds his foot on the kick off pedal 22. But

momentarily natural operation of the kick ofi'pedal will delay the'operatio-n of the press head momentarily long enough to allow a puff of air to pass over the lower press head and carry away any moisture clinging to the garment. The engaging surfaces of the detent 37, and the shoulder 38 are so arranged that the shoulder 38 tends to cam the detent 37 out of engagement with the shoulder 38.w'hen the foot is removed from the kickoff pedal 22.

During the retarding of the opening movement of the press head, the heated air also blows out through the holes 29 on to the garment on thelowcr buck and also acts to remove the lnoisturo rising from such garment, the force of the .amount of air passing through the holes depending on the extent to which the housing 32 or the contracted outlet holds hack the air and the extent to which the air is heated and expanded in the housing.

This invention is particularly advantageous in that the moisture is'removed as soon as it is present or generated by the heated pressfng'elements and no colder outside air comesji n contact withthis moisture and hence there is nocondensation to be-removed from the garment and hence the drying operation is particularly efficient and rapid and takes place and is practically completed pressing operation is comparatively 'dry air above the upper ends of said passages.

2. In a pressing machine, a heated lower buck, a press head movable toward and from the lower buck andjmeans for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilating passages opening through' its upper and lower faces for permitting the escape of vapor during the pressing operation, and means for supplying and confining heated airabove the upper face of the press head and at the upper ends of said passages. I

3. In a pressing machine, a heated lower buck, a press head movable toward and from the lower buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces for permitting the escape 'of vapor during the pressing operation, means for confining heated air above the upper face of the press head and at the upper ends of said passages, and means for removing the moisture laden air and replacing itwith relatively dry air.

4. In a pressing machine, a lower buck, a press head movable toward and from the lower buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces for permitting the escape of vapor during the pressing operation, a housing on the upper side of the press head and having an inlet at one end for air and an outlet at itsother end and means for forcing air through the housing. I v

5. In a pressing machine, a heated lower buck, a heated press head movable toward and from the lower buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilatoutlet at its other end, the outlet being c'ontracted whereby the outlet ofjhe air is retarded and the air held back and heated in the housing by the heat from the press head whereby the air has 'a greater aifinity for moisture and means for forcing air through the housing.

6. Ina pressing machine, a lower buck, aheated press head movable toward and from the lower buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces for permitting the escape of vapor during the pressing operation, and means for passingair over the upper face of the press head across the upper ends of said passages.

7. In a. pressing machine, a heated lower buck, a heated press head movable toward and from the lower buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilatin passages opening through its upper an lower faces for permitting the escape of vapor during the pressing operation, a housing mounted on the upper side of the press head and having an air inlet and an outlet end, and means for passing air through the housing, said means being constructed to retard the passage of air wherebya body of air is held in the housing to facilitate the absorption of moisture passing through said passages.

8. In a' pressing machine, a lower buck, a press head movable toward and from the lower'buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces for permitting the escape of vapor during the pressing operation, a housing mounted on the upper side of the press head and having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet be ing contracted whereby the passage of air is retarded through the housing to hold the air back in the housing a sufiicient time to absorb the moisture passing through the passages and a blower mounted on the press head at the air inlet of the housing.

9. In a pressing machine, a lower buck, a presshead movable toward and. from the lower buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilating passages arranged to project a'currentlof air across the upper side of said head above said passages.

10. In apressing machine, a lower buck, a press head movable toward and from the lower buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head --bein'g'""formed with 1 ventilatfiig passages partly op'en'position. 2Q

11. In a pressing machine, a lower buck,

" a press headfimovableatoward and from the I lower buckand means for supporting and "operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilating passages lopenmg through its'upper and lower faces for'permitting the escape ofvapor during the pressing operation, and a blower mounted one press head at one end thereof and arranged to pass a current of air across the upper side of said head around said passages, said blower being also provided with an outlet arranged below the face of the press head. and directed to discharge across the buck,j"said outlet being obstructed. by the lower buck when the ress head is closed. 12. In a pressing'mac ine, a lower buck, a press head movable toward and from the lower buck and means for supporting and operatingthe press head; said Press head being" formed with ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces for permitting'the escape of vapor during the pressing operation, anda blower mounted on a press head at oneend thereof and arranged to pass a current of air across the upper side of said head around said passages, said blower being also provided with an outlet arranged below the" face of the press head directed to discharge across the buck, said outlet being obstructed by the lower buck when the press head is closed, and means for opening the press head and delaying the opening movement thereof when the press head is in partly open position wher eby the press head guides the current of air across the upper face of the lower buck. I V 1 13. In a pressing machine, a heated lower buck, aheated press head movable toward and from the lower buck and imeans for supporting and operatingthe press head; sa d press head being formed with ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces for permitting the escape of vapor during the pressing operatio a housmg mounted on the upper side of the press head and having an air inlet and an outlet,

, a blower mounted at the inlet of the housing, said blower being also formed with an outlet arranged below the face of the press head and directed to discharge across the face of the buck and to be obstructed by the edge of the buck when the press head is closed.

14. In a pressing machine, a lower buck, a press head movable toward and from the lower'buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces, means for passing a current of air across the upper face of the head and means for delaying the opening of the press head after it has been partly opened whereby the air blows out through, such passages toward the lower buck.

15. Ina pressing machine, a lower buck, a heated press head movable toward and fromlthe lower buck and means for supporting and operating the press head; said press head being formed with ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces, a housingonthe upper side of the press head, means for assing a current of air into the housing and means for delaying the opening of the press head after it has been partly opened whereby the air passes through such perforations toward the face of the lower buck. i

16. In a pressing machine, cooperating pressing elements, one movable toward and from the other, means for supporting and operating the movable element, the upper pressing element being heated and formed 'with ventilatingpassages opening through its upper and lowerfaces, a housing mounted on the upper side of theupper pressing element, means for passinga current of air into the housing, and means for delaying the opening of the press after it has been partly opened whereby the air passes through such passages toward the face of the lower pressing element. 7 v

17. a pressing machine, cooperating pressing elements, one movable toward and from the other, means for supporting and operating the movable element, the upper pressing element being'heated and formed with ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces, a housing mount ed on the upper side of the upper pressing element, and having an air outlet and an inlet means for passing the air into the housing, the housing being shaped to retard the passage of air. therethrough, whereby it is heated and expanded in the housing. I

18. In a pressing machine, cooperating pressing elements, one movable toward and from the other, means for supporting and operating the movable element, the upper.

pressing element being heated and formed with Ventilating passages opening through its upper and lower faces, a housing mounted on the upper side of the upper pressing element, and having an air outlet and an inlet means for passing air into the housing,

the housing being shaped to retard the passage of air therethrough, whereby it is means heated and expanded in the housing, and

artly opened.

In testimony whereof, have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, in the County of Onondaga, and State of New York, this.

1st day of February, 1924.

A min n. ennuu. 

